Asymmetric Organocatalytic Michael/Henry Domino Reactions through Hydrogen-Bond Activation: Kinetic Access to Indane Scaffolds Bearing cis-Vicinal Substituents

Catalyst directs towards­ cis! A bifunctional hydrogen‐bond‐catalyzed Michael/Henry domino reaction allows preferential asymmetric access to the kinetic cis‐nitroindanol products with excellent enantioselectivity through a postulated matched transition state (see scheme; H‐Bo = hydrogen bond activation). This high yielding protocol opens up a new strategy to access highly useful enantio‐enriched cis‐aminoindanol‐containing ligands and catalysts.